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August 20, 2013

Optional: Air Bag

The first consumer car to offer an air bag as an option was the 1974 Oldsmobile Tornado Brougham.



I used to run around with a guy who had a later model Tornado with air bags, the first I had ever seen.  There had been some news stories of them accidentally going off or people being hurt more by them in wrecks than from the wreck itself.  It was hard to relax while in the front seat, not only from worrying about the air bag, but that he was such a lousy driver that I was afraid I'd need the air bag.   I ran into him a few years back while taking some photos by the side of the highway; he stopped to see if I was having car problems and we started shooting the bull.  I decided I'd introduce myself and stuck out my hand and his mouth dropped open and told me who he was.  (*and I'm sure my mouth dropped open, too) He told me I had aged and that he never would've recognized me. (*and HE had gained at least 250lbs and I never would've recognized him)

His Tornado had one of those long, sloping rear windows and even though he tried to put it in the garage when a hail storm hit, it still was destroyed when he was caught out on the road during a storm that, oddly enough, contained a tornado.  (although I never heard the name of the car pronounced the same, but rather Tor-nah-do)

Note:  I'm not positive that's a Brougham, but it's the trivia fact that's important, not the graphic.  If you want to - in a polite manner - correct me, then please feel free to do so in the comments section.  If you want be rude and tell me I'm stupid, then feel free to email me at kissmybutt@gotohell.com

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